We're going Apple Picking!

[Bearvet]

DS11 and I are going apple picking tomorrow - there's a great orchard just down the road from us. There's nothing better than a crisp juicy apple picked right off the tree! The kids love to climb the trees to get the apples that are high and using the basket picker when they're even higher and can't be reached.

I'm planning to make 4 apple pies - 2 for now and 2 to freeze. I've also found a few new recipes to try, most of them use refrigerated biscuits or crescent rolls: Apple Topped Biscuits, Caramel Apple Pizza, Apple Dumplings, Caramel Apple Cupcakes and of course apple crisp. DH and the boys will be ecstatic!!!

Does anyone else go apple picking? If not, where do you get your apples? Any good apple recipes you'd like to share? I love this time of year!!

 

[noodleknitter]

Cool! We are going with a group today to pick apples. I'd no clue other than applesauce as to what to make! Apple crisp and apple dumplings are a great idea! But how do you make apple caramel pizza, if you don't mind my asking. I think that Golden Delicious are the apples they will have us pick. Will those work ok?

(Unfortunately, they are not letting us into the Honey Crisp area!)

 

[CEDmom]

Have fun!!! We went last week to the apple festival at the orchard down the road from us. They have dwarf trees so no climbing required.

 

[Bearvet]

I haven't made this recipe yet (it's from Quick Cooking magazine) but it looks and sounds delicious!!

Caramel Apple Pizza:

1 tube (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
4 cups sliced peeled tart apples (about 3 large)
1 can (12 oz.) lemon-lime soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Press cookie dough into a greased 14 inch pizza pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Run a large flat spatula under crust to loosen from pan.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar and milk until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust. In a bowl, combine the apples and soda; drain weill. Toss apples with cinnamon; arrange over cream cheese. Drizzle with the caramel topping and sprinkle with pecans. Cut into wedges. 8-10 servings.

I usually pick MacIntosh apples - they're good to eat and cook with. I think any type of apple would work though... Have Fun!!

 

[newman7501]

We love to go apple picking every year. We go several times. The apples aren't to great in NY this year, too much rain. Our favority family recipe is apple crisp:
Preheat oven to 350. Peel core and thinly slice 5 large apples. Place in a baking dish(approx. 8x8). Sprinkle 2 TBS. sugar over apples and mix well. In another mixing bowl combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup quick cooking oat, 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 tsp.cinnamon(you can add more depending on taste). Add 8 TBS(1 stick) of butter, use a pastry cutter of 2 knives to cut mixture into moist crumbs. Pour on top of apples, bake for 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 30.

 

[noodleknitter]

Thank you so much! That looks better than I could even imagine!

Forgot to say...Have a great time! (Caught up in the greed for information!)

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I'm going in two weeks! It's a family tradition to go in the beginning of October. Even if the apples aren't that great, we always make a trip. We usually come back with two bushels full. After we realize we will never eat them all we beg friends and neighbors to take them.

Of course we make an apple pie. And if we get some nice big ones my mom will make some baked apples. Maybe I can convince mom to make caramel apples this year. But I doubt it. Last time we tried, we succeeded in caramelizing the fridge.

Maybe this year we will find those elusive Granny Smith apples. (The orchard claims the trees are there but we have searched for the last 5 years and have yet to find them.)

 

[RonnieJo66]

Nope, no apple picking for me. (sounds like fun though!)


The only thing around me to pick is grapes. We live in Sunmaid Raisin country.

Someone pick an apple for me and drink me a cider while you're at it

 

[Bearvet]

WOW! The picking was fantastic! DS11 and his friend never moved out of 1 tree and we quickly filled our 1/2 bushel bag!

I got the 4 pies made and will make another dessert tonight. I thought I'd post a dinner recipe that I made last night - everyone loved it:

Pork Chop & Apple Casserole:

1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
4 cups peeled, sliced apples
6 pork chops
1 pkg Shake & Bake coating mix

Mix sugar, flour and spices together in a bowl; add apples and toss to coat. Place apples in 9x13 pan. Coat pork chops with Shake & Bake according to package directions; place on top of apples. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes.

Note: My family requested that I double the apple mixture next time.
This was quick and easy!

 

[noodleknitter]

Fun! That is great that you had such a good time!

We went, but due to the recent rains they wouldn't let us into the red clay pits to pick. I did, however, come home with 2 1/2 pecks of apples! All I've made thus far is apple sauce, though!

 

[holycow]

Sounds like you had a great time. Your recipes sound YUMMY! Can't wait to try them.

I'm excited as this will be the first time DD will get to go to the pumpkin patch to actually pick the pumpkin from the vine and pick apples off of the tree. We would make the annual trip with the older kids but when we moved to Fl. there were NO orchards around! so I am excited!

Holycow

 

[Poohnatic]

OOOOOHHHHH, that's one thing I really miss about where I used to live. Apple picking, fresh apple cider and the farm stands. I can't get my favorite here and doubt I ever will (Winesaps)

I had an apple orchard across the road from me and would make apple butter every fall. Yummy.

Suzanne

 

[Tinijocaro]

Applesauce

Apples, peeled and chopped chunky
A bit of water
A bit of sugar
cinnamon

Sooooo easy, and so delicious.